COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (April 14, 2021) – Twenty of the nation's top collegiate athletes, including 10 who have captured a combined 21 gold medals competing on past USA Basketball teams, have accepted invitations to attend the April 18-21, 2021 USA Basketball Women's AmeriCup Team trials. Invitations to the trials, which will be held at the University of South Carolina, were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee and USA Women's Senior National Team Committee.
USA National Team head coach Dawn Staley (South Carolina) will serve as head coach of the USA AmeriCup Team, and she will be assisted by University of Arizona head coach Adia Barnes and Jennifer Rizzotti, 2021 USA National Team assistant coach.
Virginia Tech center Elizabeth Kitley is amongst the group of top collegiate players invited into the camp which will begin on Sunday.
"I am extremely proud and excited for this opportunity that awaits Liz to participate with USA Basketball," Kenny Brooks said. "She will be competing against the absolute best student-athletes from around the country and she is very deserving of this opportunity. Her work ethic and skill will be on full display and I'm certain that she will represent Virginia Tech to the fullest."
The 6-foot-5 Kitley turned in one of the best individual seasons a Hokie has produced in 2020-21, a season where she led the team in scoring and rebounding. The Summerfield, North Carolina native started all 25 games, scoring 18.2 points per game, and grabbing 10.4 rebounds while collecting an ACC-high 13 double-doubles. She was amongst the league leaders in points, rebounds, field goal percentage (.531), blocks (47) and free throws (92).
She was the only ACC athlete to register two 30-point scoring games this season and was one of two players to record a 20-rebound game, which she did in a contest vs. Wake Forest where she tied a school record with 21.
"I am excited to have the opportunity to compete against some of the best collegiate talent in the nation during this camp," Kitley said. "It's such an honor to be selected for the trials and I intend to make the most of it and give it everything I've got."
In addition to being a unanimous First Team All-ACC selection, Kitley was named a top five finalist for the Lisa Leslie Award, honoring the nation's top center.
Through her first two seasons in Blacksburg, Kitley has averaged 15.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and shot nearly 55% from the field. She was named the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2020.
The 20 athletes who have accepted an invitation to attend the trials are:
Grace Berger (Indiana/Louisville, Ky.)
Aliyah Boston (South Carolina/St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.)
Jakia Brown-Turner (NC State/Oxon Hill, Md.)
Rae Burrell (Tennessee/Las Vegas, Nev.)
Veronica Burton (Northwestern/Newton, Mass.)
Zia Cooke (South Carolina/Toledo, Ohio)
Elissa Cunane (NC State/Summerfield, N.C.)
Destanni Henderson (South Carolina/Fort Meyers, Fla.)
Naz Hillmon (Michigan/Cleveland, Ohio)
Rhyne Howard (Kentucky/Cleveland, Tenn.)
Ashley Joens (Iowa State/Iowa City, Iowa)
Haley Jones (Stanford/Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Elizabeth Kitley (Virginia Tech/Summerfield, N.C.)
Diamond Miller (Maryland/Somerset, N.J.)
Ashley Owusu (Maryland/Woodbridge, Va.)
Khayla Pointer (Louisiana State/Marietta, Ga.)
Sedona Prince (Oregon/Liberty Hill, Texas)
NaLyssa Smith (Baylor/Converse, Texas)
Jenna Staiti (Georgia/Cumming, Ga.)
Hailey Van Lith (Louisville/Wenatchee, Wash.)